Let’s face it, everyone in Midlothian is there against their will.

I don’t know why the sexual tension is so palpable. I can only speculate.

I’d argue there is a lot of context missing and assumptions made by an author trying to sell books with sensationalism while simultaneously working for an institution that has played one of the strongest hands in desecrating African burial grounds and done little to nothing to right their wrongs.

“around the same time that the Foundation had blocked longtime volunteer leaders from continuing work there.”

This is misleading. Enrichmond asked the FOEE to sign waivers while working at the cemetery. A very common practice for liability issues. FOEE refused to sign the waivers and we’re not given permission to continue their work on the property.

“Imagine the news media arrived on the site that day, where staff of the Enrichmond Foundation allowed reporters to photograph and then broadcast images of those exposed remains.”

Come on, do you really think Enrichmond has the power/influence to tell reporters what to broadcast?

“Images of the bones would linger on the television station’s website for days.”

Again, this isn’t something Enrichmond has jurisdiction over but that conflicts with Dr. Smith’s outrage narrative.

Smith then goes on, and nauseam, about the structure of the public meeting. No real examples of actual maliciousness here, just personal criticisms of how the virtual public meeting was set up.

“Further, these new findings at East End Cemetery, and their mishandling by Enrichmond, point to this same pattern of fumbling the discovery of such remains and making the awful situation even worse.”

Mishandling by Enrichmond? What is the appropriate course of action? They called DHR, the police, and set up a public meeting with descendants of the cemetery to let them know the details of the discovery.

“Imagine having prepared a question about whether Enrichmond’s staff should have sought continuity in their handling of newly discovered remains with the previous 7 years of volunteer procedures on the site. Now that question sounds beside the point given the gravity of the revelations.”

“The gravity of the revelations?” I thought everyone was well aware of the grave robbing and desecration of cemeteries in Richmond.

A lot of sensationalism in this piece. If Dr. Smith wants to take an organization to task perhaps he should start with his employer and implore them to take corrective action for building a parking garage over the discovery of remains at MCV. Push them to get more involved in local calamities like this rather than spend their time building parking lots, student housing, and athletic facilities.

The discovery of human remains was another incident where the friends of east end used a tragedy to exploit circumstances in their favor. Enrichmond staff discovered exposed human remains at the cemetery - a cemetery that had been neglected for years.

Sadly, there had been years of rain and erosion in the area and no one to care for the land or mitigate the land disturbances. Enrichmond became the steward and started clearing the overgrown weeds when they discovered exposed remains. It was reported in local news and the friends of east end decried desecration on the part of Enrichmond staff.

Palmer is a founding member of an organization that sought to receive the dedicated state funding that was intended to care for the east end cemetery. Unfortunately, that organization didn’t have the resources or legal standing to receive the funding. When Enrichmond was recognized as the recipient of the funding, his organization sabotaged any attempt of cooperation with Enrichmond. While Enrichmond should never have been the financial and operational steward of the cemetery, the friends of east end did not help their own cause in this instance.

The sexual tension between Brian Palmer and Michael Paul Williams is becoming unbearable.

At least Palmer is directing his attacks towards the city, the Enrichmond board, and higher levels of government instead of bullying underpaid, overworked nonprofit staffers.

Tried to get an e-bike repair done at Carytown bikes and was told that since they were recently bought by Specialized, they are only allowed to work on Specialized e-bikes.

The GRTC board of directors hold a monthly meeting that I open to the public. You can speak directly to the leadership.

Try taking transit. It’s free!